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Business and Economics > Insurance

You are looking at 1 - 2 of 2 items for :

  • Type: Journal Issue x
  • Macroeconomics: Production x
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Cover IMF Working Papers
Extreme Weather Events, Agricultural Output, and Insurance: Evidence from South America
Juliette Caucheteux
,
Jonas Nauerz
, and
Svetlana Vtyurina
Extreme weather has profoundly affected countries across South America (SA), given the importance of the agricultural sector for the economies. However, these effects have not yet been properly measured. In our study, we construct a unique dataset of high-frequency satellite data on temperature, precipitation, and a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) that proxies the agricultural yield in selected countries. In particular, we then examine the effect of droughts on agricultural yields (soy output) and find that they have a significant negative impact and that there is heterogeneity in the response across countries. While insurance could help protect farmers against severe losses, coverage in the region is low, and barriers remain high. Building on existing literature and using a calibrated structural model, we highlight the benefits of insurance for Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and offer some recommendations for its expansion.
Keywords:
Agriculture; Productivity; NDVI; SPEI; Weather; Drought; Insurance; South America; weather event; soy output; loss from drought; benefits of insurance; NDVI in Brazil; Natural disasters; Agricultural sector; Agricultural production; Insurance companies; Caribbean
Cover IMF Staff Country Reports
United States: Staff Report for the 2015 Article IV Consultation
International Monetary Fund. Western Hemisphere Dept.
This 2015 Article IV Consultation highlights that the U.S. economy’s momentum in the first quarter of 2015 was sapped by unfavorable weather, a sharp contraction in oil sector investment, and the West Coast port strike. But the underpinnings for a continued expansion remain in place. A solid labor market, accommodative financial conditions, and cheaper oil should support a more dynamic path for the remainder of the year. Despite this, the weaker outturn in the first few months of 2015 will unavoidably pull down 2015 growth. Despite important policy uncertainties, the near-term fiscal outlook has improved, and the federal government deficit is likely to move modestly lower in the current fiscal year.
Keywords:
ISCR; CR; article IV discussion; rate; housing data; core PCE inflation; liability positions vis-à-vis nonresident; staff appraisal; personal income growth; Inflation; Central bank policy rate; Output gap; Financial sector risk; Global